By Liz Muentes and Alexa Santos, News 12 Digital
A brand new skating rink has opened up on top of The William Vale hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The
Vale Rink is on the 23rd floor of the hotel, and opened for business on Dec. 28.
General manager of the rink, Nick Angel, said, "It's been incredible. We've had a great response from both the community and people staying at the hotel. At one point in time, we had over 100 people waiting to skate. It's been very busy."
It's the hotel's first skating rink, and the rink overlooks the entire Manhattan skyline.
A big part of the rink's ability to function is that it's not made of ice. The hotel partnered with Glice USA, a company that has used new technology to create polymer panels that simulate the glide and feel of ice. The surface is impact absorbent and environmentally friendly.
The Vale Rink also offers an indoor heated enclosure, where guests can purchase hot chocolate, hot toddies, and fresh-baked treats.
Angel said, "You can come to skate. You can come to enjoy the tent. You can come just to take a picture. There's so many things that you can do here."
Admission to the rink is $20 for adults, and $12 for kids, which includes skate rentals and locker rentals. The rink does not accept reservations, so the skating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
It's open Wednesday to Sunday, and the hours are as follows:
- Wednesday & Thursday: 2pm – 10pm
- Friday: 2pm – 12am
- Saturday 12pm – 12am
- Sunday 12pm – 10pm
Angel says the plan is to keep the rink open through late March.